Flexible, multiple, continuous, pullapart form and method of making same



Dec. 4, 1962 H. w. HUFFMAN FLEXIBLE, MULTIPLE, CONTINUOUS, PULL-APARTFORM AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1960INVENTOR. HAROLD W. HUFFMAN BY i J) j ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1962 H. w.HUFFMAN 3,066,957

FLEXIBLE, MULTIPLE. CONTINUOUS, PULL-APART FORM AND METHOD OF MAKINGSAME Filed Feb. 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

9 HAiROLD w. HUFFMAN ATTORNEY United States Fascist @rfirce 3,066,957iatented Dec. 4, 1962 3365 9'57 FLEXIBLE, MULTEPLE, CGNTENUQEE, PULLgligigl FURM AND METHOD 8F MAKENG Harold W. Huffman, Hamilton, @hio,assignor to T e Hamilton Tool (Company, Hamilton, @hio, a corporation ofGhio Filed Feb. 26, 19%, Ser. No. 11,2;58 '7 Claims. (til. 282-415} Thisinvention relates to business forms, and more particularly to so-calledflexible, multiple, continuous pullapart forms.

An object of the invention is to provide a form containing two or moresuperposed sheets or strips with means for interconnecting them along acommon edge in such a manner that the interconnection will efiectivelypreclude relative motion between the sheets except in one direction.

it is customary in modern bookkeeping techniques to provide businessforms in duplicate, triplicate and the like, which business forms areprinted and supplied to the user in continuous form, that is, successivesheets are interconnected whereby to provide a continuous form. Suchsheets are customarily provided with a series of accurately alignedperforations along an edge thereof to be engaged by suitable registeringand feeding mechanisms provided in the business machines with which theforms are to be used. It has also been customary for the printer tostack the continuous business forms in zig-Zag fashion in which formthey are fed into business machinery for processing. However, whencontinuous forms are folded in zig-zag fashion the individual sheetstend to move relative to one another. In those instances wherein thesuperposed sheets are immovably interconnected as by stitching, gluing,or the like, they cannot be successfully or conveniently put up inzig-Zag stacks because buckling, distortion and even damage to theinterconnected sheets will occur.

it is imperative that the apertures or perforations provided across thesheets be maintained in accurate alignment during those periods of timewhen a particular set of sheets is being initially interconnected aswell as when the sheets of said set are being fed through a businessmachine even though the apertures or perforations of the sheets of a setare in misalignment when they are stacked in zig-zag fashion.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide a flexible,multiple, continuous business form wherein the successive record sheetsor strips which are superposed one upon the other will individually besecured directly to the next lower record sheet in such a manner as topreclude relative movement between the interconnected sheets except inone direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a business form havingthe hereinabove described characteristics wherein transfer sheets whichare interposed between adjacent record sheets are secured directly toonly the upper of said record sheets whereby plain, unprocessed transfersheets or strips may be utilized.

Another object of the invention is to teach the method ofinterconnecting adjacent record sheets for limited relative movement.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein andas disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible, multiple, con tinuous formembodying the teachings of the present invention, stacked or folded inzig-zag fashion.

H6. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showingthe relationship between the various transfer and record sheets orstrips.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2. showing the relationship of thevarious record and transfer sheets incident to severance of a stub froman edge of the record sheets.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section,illustrating a detail of construction.

FIG. 5 is a View similar to FIG. 2, disclosing a modification of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an edge of an assembly embodying the teachingsof the present invention, with the perforations or apertures of thevarious record sheets of a set in alignment.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-'7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6, showing the relationship of theparts when the apertures or perforations of the sheets of a set are outof alignment, such as occurs when the sheets are stacked in the zigzagfashion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 99 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a modified form of the edge of the sheet.

With particular reference now to FIG. 1, the numeral ill denotesgenerally a flexible, multiple, continuous business form arranged inzig-zag fashion. As illustrated, the continuous form comprises aplurality of interconnected sets of forms wherein each set includes aplurality of alternate record and transfer sheets or strips.

The numerals Zil, 3G, 40' and 50 denote four record sheets or stripsarranged in nested or superposed position and wherein the upper of eachof said sheets is connected directly to the next lower sheet thereof.The numerals 25, 35 and '45 denote generally transfer or carbon sheetseach of which is secured as at 28, 38 and 4%, respectively, directly tothe undersurface of an upper sheet 20, 3t and 46.

It should be understood that the spacing between the various sheets andthe thickness thereof have been greatly over-emphasized and exaggeratedin FIGS. 2-9 for the purpose of clarity of detail and understanding.

Each of the upper record sheets is provided with a series of axiallyaligned tongues 6i} wherein the direction of axial alignment is parallelwith the outer edge 62 of the sheets. As best illustrated in FIG. 6,each of tongues 69 is struck from a record sheet to which it isintegrally connected along its rear end as at as for providing a tonguehaving an overall length defined by the distance between the numerals6'5 and 64.

The forward or free outer end portion 66 of each tongue is permanentlyfixed to the upper or adjacent surface of the next lower record sheet,such as by means of a suitable adhesive 68, or the like, whereby theunsecured portion, Q, of the tongue between rear end 64 and the adhesive68 forms or comprises a flexible link between the adjacentinterconnected record sheets 2 and 36.

It should be understood that in actual practice tongues till aredisposed in the plane of the record strip or sheet from which they arestruck during those periods of time when the various record sheets of aset are in alignment, as in FIG. 6. The displacement illustrated in FIG.7 has been occasioned by reason of the fact that the adjacent recordsheets are illustrated quite thick and as being spaced apart, whereas inactual practice the sheets are considerably thinner and their adjacentfaces are in abutting relationship.

Adjacent record sheets, thus directly interconnected, are effectivelysecured together against relative movement except along the axis of saidtongues. With reference now to FIGS. 6 and 7, it will be noted thatsince tongues 69 are fully extended and flat, the upper record sheet 2%)cannot be shifted to the right relative to record sheet 3%, however itmay be shifted to the left relative to sheet Pill by reason of flexiblelink Q, as in FIGS. 8 and 9. in passing it should be noted andunderstood that the fore going type of tongue connection betweenadjacent record spa es? sheets etfectively precludes relative sidewisemotion between said sheets at right angles to the axis of said tongues.

By thus flexibly interconnecting the adjacent record sheets, limitedrelative motion between the individual sheets of aset may occur, suchas, by way of example, when a plurality of said sets are stacked inzig-zag fashion.

The numerals 12 denote rows of duplicate apertures or perforations whichare provided in each of said record strips between the edge-adjacentedge or locus of the connection of the transfer strips and outer edgeat. These apertures or perforations are adapted to engage suitable feedor registering means commonly found in various types of businessequipment of the type with which the subject forms are used. As clearlyillustrated in the drawings, the perforations are located in axialalignment between the tongues 6t) and the outermost edge of the transferstrips.

A tear line 16 is disposed in each of the record sheets or stripsparallel with edge 62 and inwardly of the locus of connection of thevarious transfer strips to their respective record sheets or strips.Tear lines 16 define a stub 14- which is severable from the recordstrips 2t 3t}, 4t and 5%), it being noted that said stub includes theperforations 12 and tongues 69 of the various record sheets as well asthe transfer sheets 25, and 45.

In FIG. 5 I have illustrated the invention as applied to record sheetswithout the intervention of separate carbon or transfer strips such as,by way of example, 25, 35 and of FIGS. 2 and 3. The construction of FIG.5 permits the same limited relative movement between the interconnectedsheets as in the construction of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, and is particularlyapplicable in those instances When one or both of the adjacent faces ofthe record sheets are chemically treated to duplicate on the uppersurface of each lower sheet whatever is written or impressed on the nexthigher record sheet or strip.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that in those instances whereintransfer sheets or strips are used it is unnecessary for said sheets tobe perforated or provided with tear lines, nor is it necessary that saidsheets be secured to but one of the two record strips between which saidsheet is disposed. Savings up to 20% are thus effected in addition tothe advantages inherent in the novel tanner in \which the record sheetsare interconnected.

in PRES. 6 and 8 the numerals GtlA and B denote, respectively, theaxially aligned tongues of record sheets 36 and 4%, and illustrate themanner in which the tongues of the various interconnected record sheetsof a set are disposed in staggered relationship to reduce the overallthickness of a set or form.

It should be understood that the relationship of perforations 12 andtongues as may be reversed from the arrangement illustrated in thedrawings, that is, the row of perforations may be adjacent the edge ofthe sheets and the row of tongues 69 disposed inwardly thereof as shownin FIG. 10.

It has been found that the flexible interconnection of the pairs ofadjoining record sheets by tongues 50 permits single record sheets to beinterposed between pairs of tongue-interconnected sheets, and that theflexible connection of said tongue-connected record sheets permits theobjects of the present invention to be accomplished even though singlesheets are interposed between and permanently connected to the adjacentsheets of adjoining pairs of tongue-connected sheets.

it should be understood that various changes and modifications may bemade within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A continuous, zig-zag folded, multi-sheet business form comprisingtwo or more record sheets, means interconnecting said sheets insequential pairs with the lower relative movement along an axis parallelwith said edge in one direction and preventing relative movementtherebetween in the opposite direction, at least one sheet of' each pairincluding a plurality of elongate, longitudinally aligned tongues alongsaid common edge, said tongueseach having an inner end integral with thesheet and a free end, means securing a portion of the free end of thetongues of a sheet directly to the adjacent, continuous surface of theother sheet of a pair with those portions of the tongues between theinner ends and the secured portion being free of connection andunsecured, said unsecured tongue portions constituting flexibleconnector links between said inter-connected sheets, whereby the limitedrelative movement is obtained.

2. A continuous, zig-zag folded, multi-sheet business form comprisingtwo or more record sheets, means interconnecting said sheets insequential pairs with the lower sheet of each preceding pairconstituting the upper sheet of the next succeeding pair, said meansinterconnecting said sheets along a common free side edge for limitedrelative movement along an axis parallel with said edge in one directionand preventing relative movement therebetween in the opposite direction,at least one sheet of each pair including a plurality of elongate,longitudinally aligned tongues along said common edge, said tongues eachhaving an inner end integral with the sheet and a free end, meanssecuring a portion of the free end of the tongues of a sheet directly tothe adjacent, continuous surface of the other sheet of a pair with thoseportions of the tongues between the inner ends and the secured portionbeing free of connection and unsecured, said unsecured tongue portionsconstituting flexible connector links between said interconnectedsheets, whereby the limited relative movement is obtained, a transfersheet between each pair of interconnected record sheets, and meanssecuring a side edge of said transfer sheet directly to the under-sideof the upper record sheet of an interconnected pair along the commonfree side edge thereof.

3. A continuous, Zig-zag folded, multi-sheet business form as set forthin claim 1, wherein the common free side edge is provided with a tearline inwardly of the tongues.

4. A continuous, zig-zag folded, multi-sheet business form as set forthin claim 3, wherein the common free side edge is provided with aplurality of longitudinally aligned openings outwardly of the tear line.

5. A continuous, zig-zag folded, multi-sheet business form as set forthin claim 1, wherein the tongues all extend in the same direction.

6. A continuous, zig-zag folded, multi-sheet business form as set forthin claim 1, wherein the tongues of each succeeding record sheet arestaggered and adhered to the next adjacent record sheet at a pointdisplaced from the tongues of the adjacent record sheet.

7. A continuous, zig-zag folded, multi-sheet business form as set forthin claim 2, wherein the common free side edge is provided with a tearline inwardly of the tongues and wherein the transfer sheets are securedto the common free side edge between the tongues and the tear line.

References @ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,954,423 Meisel Apr. 10, 1934 2,259,358 Templeton Oct. 14, 19412,860,342 Burgmer July 23, 1957 2,907,585 Sornberger et a1 Oct. 6, 1959FOREIGN PATENTS 907,845 France July 23, 1945

